


a difference in parenting

by CallofTheCurlew



Category: Cats - Andrew Lloyd Webber
Genre: Fatherhood, Gen, Ported from FFN
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-26
Updated: 2019-12-26
Packaged: 2021-02-25 06:08:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 628
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21971206
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CallofTheCurlew/pseuds/CallofTheCurlew
Summary: Alonzo and Munkustrap have very different opinions on how they should raise their respective kittens...
Comments: 5
Kudos: 30





	a difference in parenting

**Author's Note:**

> Just porting my fics over from FFN with some minor revisions, if it looks familiar :) 
> 
> Also don't talk to me about family trees for the musical version. It changes every two seconds.

The junkyard is quiet, for once. 

Munkustrap is thankful, not interested in solving some great mystery, or fighting off some alley toms. He deserves a lazy afternoon, surely. 

.. It's not like he can help himself though. A moment after stretching out, a sight catches his eye that has him up on all fours, curiously heading over to his best friend. 

"Alonzo...?"

The black and white tom perches on a low beam, an old sock swinging from the overhanging metal, "Mm?"

Munkustrap regards the sock with suspicion. There's definitely something inside, and it rocks back and forth in little fits. He thinks he can make out the imprints of little paws, but he can't be sure. 

"What did you catch?" he asks hesitantly, not sure if he really wants to know the answer.

A slow, crooked grin appears on Alonzo's face, "My son."

Munkustrap's eyes widen in alarm, fighting the urge to immediately create a soft landing for the kitten, "You can't tell me that Carbucketty's actually in there?!"

Alonzo chuckles as the sock shifts, the kitten squirming, "He is indeed. I found him terrorizing Victoria and needed to teach him a lesson."

"What if it falls?" his concern for the kitten's welfare far outweighs the surprise for his best friend's actions, unable to understand the method of parenting.

"He'll land on his feet," Alonzo shrugs, unconcerned. 

Munkustrap stares at the tom, wide-eyed, "But...surely there's a better way to help him learn?"

Alonzo heaves a sigh, getting to his feet and leaping down to Munkustrap's level, "The kit's immune to a cuff around the head and-"

He's cut off by Munkustrap's outraged splutter, "You hit him?"

For a moment, doubt clouds Alonzo's expression. Even as kitten, Alonzo and Munkustrap rarely disagreed on anything. 

Alonzo regards him for a moment, head tilting as he tries to gauge Munkustrap's reaction, "Yes..." he says slowly, his confidence returning, "Not hard, of course... just a warning."

"Have you tried talking to him?"

Alonzo shoots him a withering glare, and Munkustrap winces. Okay, so maybe he deserves that one, "The kit's almost a tom, Munk. Of course I started with a talking to. He's a rambunctious little viper, and this kind of time-out is the only way he'll learn."

"A time out suspended over the junkyard? He's probably terrified!"

As if on cue, a tiny mewl sounds from the sock. Munkustrap watches as Alonzo's ear twitches to listen, but otherwise he doesn't react. It's mortifying, to say the least. 

"Serves him right, Munk," Alonzo says, almost tiredly.

At a loss, Munkustrap shakes his head, "Maybe I could talk to him? Jemim-"

"Jemima is an angel and prodigy, Munk. I doubt there will ever be a kitten in this Junkyard quite like her. And I don't think it's all to do with your parenting. She barely squeaked as a newborn."

Feeling chastised, Munkustrap gazes up at his best friend with sad eyes, hoping to invoke some emotion, and maybe a bit of slack for the kitten. Alonzo just huffs fondly, rolling his eyes and nuzzling the silver tabby.

"I know what I'm doing, Munk..."

Defeated, Munkustrap sighs back at him, nodding and nuzzling him back.

The sound of ripping fabric makes both of them look up, and Munkustrap watches in horror as the brown bundle inside falls. The drop is short, and Carbucketty lands lightly on his paws, claws unsheathed for balance.

A smirk appears on his smug little face, poking his tongue out at his father before darting into a junk pile.

Perplexed, Munkustrap watches Alonzo sigh and roll his eyes.

"A viper, Munk..." he reiterates quietly, headbutting his friend in goodbye.

As Alonzo leaps up the junkpile, eyes scanning for his son, Munkustrap suddenly understands.

Perhaps a difference in parenting _is_ necessary.


End file.
